


Just Say Goodnight

by ElderofAvonlea



Category: Anne of Green Gables (TV 1985) & Related Fandoms, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, high key inspired by ariana grande's goodnight and go, its an angsty bop, nyc baby!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21973453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElderofAvonlea/pseuds/ElderofAvonlea
Summary: Anne is pretty satisfied with her life. Living it up as a college student in New York City with her steady boyfriend Roy on one arm and her loyal roommate and best friend Diana on the other, Anne thinks she's got it pretty good. That is, until she meets a handsome premedical student who begins to make her think about the possibility of more..
Relationships: Diana Barry & Jerry Baynard, Diana Barry/Jerry Baynard, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 10
Kudos: 183





	Just Say Goodnight

**Author's Note:**

> I started this fic a loooong time ago and am looking forward to sharing it finally with all of you! I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Also, this fic is a gift for @annesadventure over on tumblr for Anne Secret Santa! Happy Holidays!! :)

“Anne, come on. It’ll be fun!” Diana whined as she trailed her roommate through the kitchen.

The redhead’s eyebrows rose in exasperation at the exaggerated pout contorting Diana’s elegant features. Anne set the empty water glass in her hand down in the sink, then turned to lean against the counter. She turned her lips down in a mocking imitation, her eyes glistening playfully as she eyed Diana.

“I already told you, Roy is supposed to come over tonight for a movie marathon.”

“Just bring Roy then,” Diana said, her hands rising in the air.

Anne arched an eyebrow at her, crossing her arms over chest. Diana huffed.

“Okay, yes, you know I think that guy is a total buzzkill at parties, but you’re not! You have to come, and if that means he comes too, then so be it.”

Anne sighed as she realized the extent of Diana’s determination on the matter. She looked at the linoleum, absently tracing her toe over a seam between two tiles.

“I don’t know,” she said finally, raising her head to look at her roommate again. “It’s been such a long week of midterms and-”

“And that’s even more reason to go out!” Diana interrupted, stepping forward to wrap her fingers around Anne’s wrists. Her dark russet eyes implored her best friend as she gently shook her arms. “Call Buzzkill Roy. For me.”

Anne scowled at her but couldn’t help the smile that broke through as the pout returned to Diana’s lips. Anne tilted her head back, the ends of her long hair brushing the countertop as she gave in.

“Fineee, I’ll talk to him,” she muttered, her smile widening as Diana discarded her pout and squealed with pleased excitement.

“Yess!” she exclaimed, shaking Anne as she bounced up and down.

Anne shook her head as she pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans. Quickly navigating to her recent calls list, she tapped Roy’s contact and raised the phone to her ear. After a few rings, a familiar husky voice came through.

“Hey.”

“Hi. Um, what are you up to?” Anne asked, a tooth sinking into her bottom lip.

“I’m still studying at the library. I thought I said I’d be there around 10.”

Anne’s teeth bit harder into her lip.

“Yeah, I know, but Diana got invited to this party and really wants me – us – to go with her.”

She paused, anticipating the silence that now came from the other end.

“It’ll be fun!” she said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than she felt. She glanced at Diana who gave her a thumbs up and a wide grin. Anne sighed. “It’s Friday night, babe. We should go out and do something.”

Roy groaned. Anne held her breath as she met Diana’s hopeful gaze.

“Okay. Fine, yeah. I’ll meet you there then? I want to stay and study a bit longer.” The reluctance in his voice was palpable, even over the phone, but Anne smiled anyway.

“Great! Yeah, I’ll text you the address. Just, um, let me know when you’re on your way.”

“Yep.” The call ended before Anne could respond.

_Love you too_ , she thought with mild irritation.

“So? Is he in?” Diana asked, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, he’s in,” Anne said, smiling as Diana sprung up with another squeal.

“ _Eeeek_ yes!! Oh my god, Anne. You have to try this new eyeliner I bought last week. Like perfect cat eye every time, I swear.” Diana pushed her small frame into Anne, dislodging the redhead from her place against the counter and shuffling her quickly into the bathroom.

After the slim black pen was safely in Anne’s hands, Diana’s attention was pulled to her closet and the age-old question of what to wear. Anne shook her head as Diana discarded dress after dress onto the bedspread, her growing frustration with finding nothing suitable to wear in her overflowing closet evident in the pinch of her brow.

Anne turned to her own dresser, which contained a meager amount of clothes at best, quickly selecting a white top with looping black text that read _I am no bird; and no net ensnares me_. Anne ran the fabric lightly between her fingers, soft from being worn and washed countless times. She decided to swap the skinny jeans she had on for some short jean shorts, despite the New York autumn getting colder by the day, and laid them on her bed beside the t-shirt she had picked out. Satisfied, she hopped in the shower as Diana threw another skirt behind her, groaning.

Fifteen minutes later, Anne pulled aside the shower curtain, reaching for her towel. She patted herself down, the fibers of the towel blissfully soft against her newly shaven legs. Padding over to stand in front of the mirror, she rubbed away the steam clouding her reflection. The water had darkened her fiery hair to a deep auburn, and Anne admired it as she ran her brush through it.

Hair brushed and blown dry, Anne returned to the bedroom where Diana had finally settled on a sleek black dress that was striking against the cream of her skin. Seated on the end of her bed, Diana bent over her feet as she squeezed them into her tallest pair of stilettos.

“I don’t understand how you wear those,” Anne said, eyeing her roommate as she made her way to where she had lain out her own clothes.

“Beauty is pain, Anne,” Diana said through gritted teeth as her foot slid into the strappy shoe.

Anne rolled her eyes, throwing on her t-shirt and shorts in the same time it took Diana to get her second shoe on. She pulled a pair of beat-up high-top Converse from the floor of her closet as Diana shuffled past her into the bathroom.

“So, how are you getting us into this party anyway?” Anne asked, slipping the shoes on easily and joining her roommate in front of the bathroom mirror.

“Jerry says he knows a guy,” Diana responded, her mouth hanging open as she brushed mascara into her long lashes.

“Jerry? Is that the tall skinny guy I’ve seen slipping out the door a few mornings the past few weeks?” Anne bumped her roommate’s hip playfully.

Diana rolled her eyes.

“Really Anne, it’s like you’re not even in a relationship. At least _I’m_ getting some action.” She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at Anne. Anne gaped at her.

“ _Excuse you_! I get action, thank you very much,” Anne said indignantly.

“Oh please, Roy is never here. You are such a goody two shoes!”

Anne blushed, embarrassed. _Am not_ , she wanted to argue, but she decided to let Diana’s teasing go in an effort to avoid sounding like a riled up five-year-old.

Diana had never tried to hide from Anne her distaste for her boyfriend ever since he had skipped the surprise 21st birthday party she threw for Anne last year. To be fair, he had had a midterm to cram for, but that detail seemed lost on Diana. Since then she had accrued a personal list of grievances against him and never missed a chance to harp on him for them. Anne knew Diana was coming from a place of love for her best friend, but really, what the hell did she know about it?

After Anne had plucked the remaining stray hairs from around her brows and Diana had perfected her lip liner, the pair pulled on their jackets and collected their keys.

“Where is this place?” Anne asked as she searched the couch cushions for her driver’s license.

“Some hole in the wall in the East Village,” Diana replied, teeth bared as she checked them for lipstick smudges in the mirror by the front door.

“Mkay, well, we could walk?” Anne clicked on her phone to check the time. “We’re running early anyway. It’s only 10 now.”

Diana rubbed a fingertip over one of her front teeth.

“Yeah, sure. It’s not too far.”

“Think you’ll make it in those shoes?” Anne teased, gesturing to Diana’s feet. She clicked her tongue.

“Only if we do a shot before we go,” she grinned at Anne, her perfectly manicured eyebrows bobbing up and down.

“I’m in,” Anne laughed.

* * *

Diana had been right, this place really did seem like a hole in the wall, at least from the outside. But Anne had learned quickly that that’s how just about every place looked in the city. Having grown up upstate, Anne was used to large awnings heralding each shop along the main avenue before potential customers disappeared into the maze of dirt roads among the surrounding vineyards. You couldn’t miss the only bar in town, with its flashing neon sign.

Anne would have walked right past this place if Diana hadn’t dragged her into a small alley that stunk of wet cigarettes. Only then did the low thumping of the music register in her mind, vibrating up through her feet and into the rest of her body. She took a deep breath of the foul air before following Diana down a dingey staircase that left the bottoms of her shoes sticky. Gross.

The unassuming entrance had concealed the basement of a huge converted warehouse. Black lights hung from the exposed beams, dotting the wide space and bathing it in anonymity. Anne marveled as she surveyed the large crowd of people packed together like sheep in a holding pen, writhing together to the steady _unz-unz_ of the DJ.

Fearlessly, Diana began to push her way through the crowd. Suddenly afraid of getting lost in the sea of bodies, Anne reached for her hand before she could disappear from view entirely, her pinky finger latching onto Diana’s.

“Diana!”

Anne’s call was drowned in the music blaring from the speakers. Diana continued, pushing people aside as she made her way towards the back wall, her lips moving in _excuse mes_ that Anne knew no one could hear.

Finally emerging from the seething crowd, Anne’s heart skipped as Diana dropped her hand. She slowed, watching as Diana hurried up to a tall, lanky guy leaning against the wall, drink in hand. Anne’s shoulders relaxed as she recognized the familiar sheepish grin that spread across his face when he caught sight of Diana.

“Jerry!” Diana threw her arms around his neck, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. Even in the low light, Anne giggled as a blush crawled up his neck. He kissed the top of her head lightly, then tucked his free arm around her.

“Jer, this is my best friend, Anne.” Diana gestured for Anne to come closer, a broad smile plumping her cheeks.

“Hi,” Anne said, extending her hand towards him before realizing that he had no hand free to shake with. “Uh, sorry. It’s nice to meet you,” Anne said, laughing a bit in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. Jerry smiled easily.

“You too. This is-” Anne hadn’t even noticed the guy standing next to him, who he gestured to now, his introduction drowned out by an eruption of cheers from the crowd gathered around the loud-speaker framed stage. As the cheering died down, Anne leaned toward him, raising her voice.

“Sorry, what was your name?”

“I’m Gilbert, but everyone calls me Gil.” He smiled at her warmly, holding his hand out towards her, as she had just done to Jerry. Anne felt herself blush, a smile breaking across her face.

“It’s nice to meet you, Gil,” she said, taking his hand in hers. His grip was firm, sending a soft warmth up her arm. Anne blinked, her gaze brushing over his features in the low light.

He was tall, like Jerry, with broader shoulders and a squarer jaw. The cotton dress shirt he was wearing glowed in the black light, the sleeves rolled up to expose strong forearms. Soft curls fell across his forehead, though brown or black Anne couldn’t tell. She thought she could make out a smattering of freckles across his cheeks, but she couldn’t be sure. Thick lashes framed his eyes, the color of his irises completely obscured in the darkness, but nevertheless gentle and clear, like he might be able to see right through a person.

Anne started when she realized he was studying her just as intently as she had been studying him. Embarrassed to be caught staring, she averted her gaze to the floor. Glitter sparkled on the concrete.

Her teeth caught on her bottom lip as she looked to Diana for help, only to find her busy pushing her tongue into Jerry’s mouth, her long fingers knotting in his curls. Anne cast a side glance back at Gil, who had also just noticed the scene unfolding beside them. He shot Anne a look of mock horror and disgust. She stifled a giggle.

“Uh, do you want to get a drink, then?” he asked.

Anne nodded emphatically, her eyes sliding back to the entwined couple.

“Oh my god, yes, please.” She widened her eyes at him with exaggerated nausea.

He laughed as she turned away from him toward the bar. As she pushed her way back into the crowd of partiers, she felt the ghost of his palm at the small of her back as he followed her. A shiver ran up her spine.

Once they had shoved their way up to the bar, Gil waved down the bartender, ordering two shots of vodka. The tiny glasses appeared before them moments later.

“Cheers,” he said, picking up a glass and holding it up towards her.

“Cheers,” Anne replied, clinking her glass against his with a smile. On the count of three, they threw back their heads, the liquid burning as it ran down their throats.

Anne coughed, her eyes watering. Gil grimaced, shaking his head as he put the glass back on the counter. He pointed at her shirt, his face still puckered.

“Jane Eyre, right?” he asked, his eyes flicking up from the text of her shirt. Anne looked down at it needlessly.

“Uh, yeah. I’m surprised you recognize it,” she said, looking back up at him with new interest. “It’s one of my favorites. Are you an English major too?”

“Oh, no, no.” He shook his head. “I’m studying biology. Trying to go to med school.”

“Ahhh,” Anne replied, a smile edging across her lips. “So you’re one of _those_ types…” She eyed him playfully, her voice taking on a teasing tone. “I’m surprised to see you here and not squirreled away in the library.”

He hung his head, a sheepish look coming into his features.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t be here if Jerry hadn’t dragged me out with him.”

“Actually, same here,” Anne admitted. Gil raised his head to look back at her, and Anne realized there was a familiar comfort about him. And, _damn_ was he cute.

Guilt flooded into her stomach as the pause stretched between them. She looked away from him, searching the room for nothing in particular, except for something to look at that wasn’t his eyes. She could feel his gaze burning into the side of her face, and she sucked a breath between her teeth to steady herself. _Maybe I’m just tipsy._

“Should we dance?” His voice called her attention back to him. His eyes were warm and hopeful, and Anne’s heart began to hammer against her chest.

She swallowed roughly.

“I’m gonna need another shot first.”

After another round of vodka flamed down their throats, they made their way onto the dance floor, pushing through the wall of onlookers to join the others moving to the beat flowing from the speakers. Anne caught sight of Diana and Jerry off to the right, his hands low on her hips as they moved together, her nose buried against his neck. Finding an open space nearby them, Gil turned toward her, a goofy smile spreading across his face.

Amidst the couples rubbing up against each other, he held up his palms and bent his arms at an angle, beginning to do the robot.

_Oh my god._

Anne couldn’t contain her amused cackle, throwing her head back as she crossed her arms over her stomach, her sides stitching with laughter. Tears sprung to her eyes as she watched him switch to the Macarena, his arms moving with a rhythm much slower than the one oozing from the sound system.

Recovering herself, Anne moved to join him, extending her arms across her body in the disco pose. He laughed heartily, clapping his hands together, his eyes bright with amusement.

Anne felt herself going, the alcohol having had time to filter through her bloodstream and loosen her inhibitions. Her cheeks began to hurt from smiling so hard, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. Having exhausted her repertoire of bad dance moves after the shopping cart and the sprinkler, Anne let herself get lost in the pulse of the bass and the frenzy of the crowd. Sweat dripped down her neck as she danced, the throng of bodies closing in on them. Eyes falling closed she raised her arms, swaying to the beat.

At some point, she felt his hands on her waist, his touch hot against the exposed skin of her midriff.

Anne’s eyes only opened when she felt the pinch of someone stepping on her toe, scuffing the fabric of her shoe.

“Hey!” she yelled, to no one in particular. She looked around for the jerk that needed to watch his step, her gaze falling on an unamused Roy.

Anne froze, every inch of her body suddenly hyperaware of the man pushed up behind her, who was not, in fact, her boyfriend.

The warm buzz that moments before had flooded her system turned to ice as guilt surged through her veins. She sprung away from Gil, plastering a wide grin onto her features.

“Oh, Roy!” she called, scampering up to him and taking his hands. They were cold in hers, clammy to the touch. Raising herself on her tiptoes, she planted a kiss on his cheek, hoping he couldn’t feel her lips trembling.

He pressed his lips against her temple in return, casting Gil a pointed look.

“Roy, I want you to meet someone,” Anne said with a feigned lightness, leading him back to the dance floor where Gil still stood.

“Gil, this is my boyfriend, Roy. Roy, this is Gilbert, Jerry’s friend,” Anne said, gesturing between them, her teeth on edge.

Gil extended his hand, which Roy took stiffly. Gil smiled at him warmly.

“It’s nice to meet you, man!” he said brightly, the warmth of his smile not waning in the face of Roy’s cold look. “Are you down at NYU too?”

“Yeah, you?” Roy responded, his arm settling around Anne’s waist.

“Ah, no. I’m up at Columbia. What are you studying?”

“Political science, but I’m pre-law actually.”

“Oh, no way!” Gil said with genuine interest. “I’ve got a bunch of lawyers in my family.”

Anne felt Roy relax against her as the two continued to talk, the conversation flowing easily between them. She looked between them, Roy’s eyes alight with enthusiasm as he explained NYU’s pre-law curriculum to Gil, who appeared just as intent on the discussion, interjecting with questions in all the right pauses. Despite the awkward circumstance of their meeting, the two of them appeared to be hitting it off.

_This is so weird._

“Excuse me,” she mumbled to them, extricating herself from Roy’s side and setting off for the bar.

“Tequila, please.”

Receiving her drink, she turned to lean against the edge of the counter, her eyes falling on Roy and Gil in the flashing strobe lights of the dance floor. Catching her stare, Roy smiled at her and gave her a small wave of his hand, looking completely at ease and almost as if he was enjoying himself.

As she waved back, Gil looked at her, and Anne felt her knees buckle beneath her. Her weight shifted deeper against the counter as she caught herself, blood rushing in her ears.

The burn of the tequila in her throat was soothing.

* * *

It was around two in the morning when Anne began to notice the crowd thinning around her. Diana, incoherent words slurring from her lips, clung to Jerry, her head lolling forward as she struggled to hold it up. He coaxed her toward a bench by the entryway, wiping at the sweaty hairs stuck to her face, and whispering to her as they went.

“I’d better go catch a cab for us,” Roy said, as they watched Diana slump against Jerry’s shoulder. “I’ll text you when it gets here.”

Anne nodded and smiled up at him, grateful. He pecked her lips and nodded to Gil before bounding up the stairs and disappearing into the alleyway.

Anne rubbed her temple. Her buzz was seriously wearing off now, a dull ache pulsing through her head.

“So, Anne. Are you glad you came out tonight?” Gil asked her, his voice low and quiet. He looked at her expectantly.

“Yeah, I did actually. I had a lot of fun,” she said, surprising herself with the honesty of her answer. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” He winked at her playfully.

Anne bit her lip to stifle the gasp that rose in her throat, her heart faltering a step in her chest. He was _such_ a dork.

A really cute dork.

Anne’s phone buzzed in her hand.

_Cab’s here._

“Um, I’ve got to go. Roy just texted,” Anne said, looking up from the screen at Gil. The way he was looking at her, brows pitched up and eyes soft, she almost thought he looked… _sad_.

“He’s a lucky guy.”

She searched his eyes, which she had discovered were a dark golden hazel, for a teasing glint. But there was none, his gaze steady with smoldering sincerity.

Anne swallowed, feeling suddenly lightheaded.

_Shit._

“Goodnight, Gil,” she managed to mumble, pulling on her jacket and turning toward the stairs.

“Goodnight, Anne.”


End file.
